October is definitely my favorite month. It’s not my birthday month, nor has any noteworthy life event happened to me during the pre-Halloween season, but I just love it! I love how it makes me feel. Everything is cozier, sweeter and comforting. As the days get cooler and nights grow longer, I wave goodbye to roof top drinks and backyard grilling. I turn to one of my favorite cooking methods: the crockpot. I all but forget I own multiple slow cookers/crock pots between April-August but once September hits, I use any excuse to use it? Oh, it drizzled this morning? Crock pot. Oh, you feel like beef for dinner? Crock pot. Oh, you had to sit in traffic today? Crock pot. See? I told you: any excuse.

This week was the perfect excuse for me! First day of October, changing leaves, rainy days. I decided in honor of the fall season, I would whip up something a little harvest inspired with some Boulder county farmer’s market produce I picked out. Behold my recipe for a Stewed Chicken, Kale, and Potatoes!

This recipe makes 2 big servings (or 3 slightly smaller portions) in a 1 quart crock pot, but you can easily double or triple the recipe for more/larger crock pots.

You’ll need:

~1/2 lb chicken (I used thighs, but breasts work well too)

1/2 TBSP harissa spice powder

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 cup chicken stock

a heavy handed pour of dry white wine

1/2 white onion, chopped

3 roma tomatos, chopped

3 new potatoes, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 lemon

1 bunch kale, chopped

1. Marinate your chicken with the EVOO and harissa spice overnight in a tupperware.

2. Cover the bottom of the pot with half the onions, add the marinated chicken and the rest of the veggies EXCEPT the kale. Pour the stock and wine into the pot, cover, and set to low for 6-7 hours.

3. Just before serving, steam chopped kale in a pan with less than 1 TBSP of water until wilted.

4. Serve kale and stew over a bed of rice or quinoa and enjoy with your favorite Zinfandal or Grenache. Leftovers are even better the next day, even cold!